Aster slammed a huge book down on the desk. "So."
I, sitting opposite her, tried to read the title upside down. It was a few days later, and we were in the library for lunchtime.
"Ancient magical artefacts?" I said, managing to decipher the heading. "No offence Aster, but you've never been a huge reader."
Aster scowled. "I know that, and I have to be in the same quidditch team as that know it all, Rose Granger-Weasley. So unfair."
"She is - kind of - well, famous, you know."
"Of course I know that!" Aster snapped. "Being well-known doesn't change someone's personality. Well, sometimes it does. Mostly in a negative way."
I smiled to myself.
"Anyway," Aster said briskly, "I have this book. I've been reading it, mainly because there's something I've been thinking about - to do with your - your moon problem."
I glanced around the library to make sure no one was about. "Aster, speak more quietly, please!"
Aster nodded. "Yes, you're right about that. We need a new name for it."
"Can't we just call it 'my furry little problem?' like the marauders did?"
Aster shook her head. "People would know exactly what we're talking about." She stood up and disappeared behind the library shelf. In a moment she had returned, carrying what looked like a muggle book.
"Why is that in here?"
"Oh, some old student who was a muggleborn had spare books and thought it'd be fun to add some muggle information to the magical library. Anyway, I found this the other day." She held it out.
"A list of phobias?" I was unsure of whether this was a joke, and a very bad one at that.
Aster nodded vigorously. "Selenophobia! That's the word for being afraid of the -" She paused, and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Moon. And no one will know what we're talking about, if we're not including Granger-Weasley, the smartie."
"Good idea." I said smiling. "But it's not like we're going to be talking about my - my selenophobia all the time, are we?"
Rose bit her lip, peering at me strangely. "Well, that brings me back to ancient magical artefacts." She opened it and flicked to a page she had marked. "I found this in the restricted section one night."
I was very confused. "Why would this book - ancient magical artefacts - be in the restricted section? And what were you doing in there?"
Aster waved the latter question away airily. "Oh, that's nothing. It was for a dare. That snobby Ellis Grumber was too much for me. As for what it was doing in there, I wondered that too, at first. That's what made me get this book out. Well, it was worth it. Read this and you'll understand."
Propelled by curiosity, I took the book and began to read the page Aster was pointing at:

At the end of 1991 [it said], after Mr Harry Potter's famous first face to face encounter with Tom Marvolo Riddle since his parents' death, the Philosopher's Stone was taken and destroyed. The decision was made by Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel, who had previously owned the stone. After the stone was demolished no further inquiries were made until after the battle of Hogwarts. It had been believed that the stone was destroyed in the Forbidden Forest - this fact was confirmed afterwards by a centaur who inhabited it. The rumours are that this centaur found a particle of sparkling red stone - a tiny fragment, but, no doubt, a chip of the Philosopher's Stone. Apparently the centaur stated he did not want such an unearthly thing, and took it upon himself to bury the fragment in the forest where no one could find it. This story, though believed by few, has been taken up by one or two magiarchaelogists. They have not found the so said particle. That this is all a myth is likely, but remains to be seen. The interesting thing about this fragment, if it does exist, is that though it would not contain the power of the full stone, it would probably still have magic. It is said that if this chip were to be used, it would grant a wish.

I finished reading, interested but confused.
Aster looked at me expectantly.
"This is interesting, but what has it got to do with anything?" I asked blankly.
Aster's eyes were alight with excitement. "Don't you understand, Xanthe?" She took a deep breath. "Sorry. What I mean is - well, not that I have anything - anything, against it - but you don't like being a - a you know what, do you?"
I was a little hurt by this question, but did not show it. "Of course I don't like it! I - I hate it!"
"It's ok. I - I'm sorry, I just -" Aster took a deep breath. Then she said, "We can find the particle."
I stared at her. Aster did not seem perturbed.
"We can wish for you to be cured!" Aster continued. "You can be cured of being a werewolf!"